Rain cape



L. H. GEIS.

RAIN CAPE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, I92l.

names stares rarest series LEOPOLD H. GEES, 9F MGUNT ARLINGTON, NEWJERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO NEW YORK MACKINTOSH CLOTHING 60., OF NEW YGRK, N. Y,A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

RAIN earn.

Application filed Julie 10,

1 0 all iii/2.0m 2'15 may concern:

Be it known that l, lanoroLn lil. (hers, a citizen of the United States,and resident ct .ll lount Arlington, in the county of Morris and Stateof New Jersey, have invented cer tain new and usetul improvements inRain Capes, of which the following is a specification.

The ijm'ention pertains to combined capes and hoods to be worn by ladiesand children and preferably made. ol waterproof material, wherefore thegarments are usually styled as rain capes. (hirments oil this characterare well-known. The cape loosely lits around the body of the wearer andthe hood may be turned down at the back or drawn forwardly over the headof the wearer, and in a rain-storm the hood would naturally be turned upover the head. Garments of this character have suffered due tostrains atthe back of the hood and cape when the wearer has leaned over or put thehead and shoulders through other natural movements, the forward part ofthe head serving to pull the hood forwardly and the hood acting againstthe cape at the back oil? the neck to strain. it. Other movements of thehead and shoulders have tended to distort the back of the hood. Myinvention seeks to provide means for permitting the wearer oi? thegarment to lean forwardly or turn the head in any desired inclination orposition without straining either the hood or cape portion of thegarment, and to this end I provide at the back ol the neck portion 01the cape and hood apocket whose mouth normally remains closed during theordinary walking position of the wearer and which, when the wearer leansforwardly or turns the head forwardly, will open to afford additionallength to the back of the hood, whereby the hood when pulled. at itsupper forward portion is prevented "from being strained or fromstraining the cape or neck-band as well as from tearing out the seamsconnecting the hood, neck-band and cape together. I also provide thebacl; the hood with a box plait wl'iich continues down to thelfllOlltl]. of the aloresaid pocket and affords lateral 6X- pansibilityin the hood which, combined with the lengthwise expansibility aifor dedby the said pocket, saves the garment from strain under all usualconditions and prolongs the useful. life ot the garment.

Specification of Letters-Patent.

Fatented July 18, 1922.

1921. Serial No. 476,399.

from the detailed description hereinafter in'esented, re'l erence beinghad to the accompanying drawings, in which:

liig. l is a frontperspective view of a cape and hood embodying thefeatures of my inrention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, taken partly from the back, of the same;

Fl g. 8 is a similar view showing the spreading of the pocket at theback of the neck to accommodate the forward inclination of the headwearing the hood I Fig. 4; is a central vertical section, on a largerscale and partly broken away, through clined and the pocket at the backol the neck I has been opened to a material extent.

' [In the drawings, 10 denotes the cape portion. of the garment, 11 thehood and 12 the neck-band secured at its lower edge by a line of sewing13 to the cape 10 and, except at the mouth of the pocket at the back ofthe neck, to the lower edge of the hood 11, the seam 13 securing thecape and hood, ex: cept at said mouth, together and also sec-uring thecollar or neck-band 12 in position.

The ends o't the neck-band 12 are equipped,

with suitable snap-fasteners or other securing means 14, as usual. Atthe back of the neck-band 12 is formed an inwardly set pocket 15 whichis elongated horizontally at the back of the neck-band and has an openmouth 16, and said pocket is preferably formed from a separate piece ofmaterial "folded upon itsel'l and extended inwardly along the backof theneck-band l2 and between the plies thereof, the lower edge of the innerlayer or ply of said material being secured by the line of sewing 13 tothe cape and inner ply of the neck-band, and the lower edge of the outerlayer or ply of said material being secured to the lower edge of theback of the hood and to the lower edge of the outer ply of the neck-bandby a line and cape portion 10 from being pulled in a manner which, in.the absence of the yielding pocket 15, might tend to tear the hood fromthe cape or injure the hood or cape. The material of the pocket 15' maybe the same as that of the cape 10 or of any suitable character and thematerial of said pocket by being folded upon itself, as shown in Fig.may lie flat against the back of the neck and not be detrimental to theappearance of the garment. The pocket 15 need not extend unduly aroundthe hood 11, and my purpose is that it shall not extend laterally to anygreater extent than necessary for the purposes of the invention. Theneck-band 12 is formed of an inner layer or ply 18 and an outer layer orply 19, and these two layers are secured together at the upper edge ofthe neck-band by a seam 20. The inner layer 18 is secured at its loweredge to therape 10 and alSO to the hood 11. except at the mouth 16 ofthe pocket 15, by the line of sewing 1-3, and along this line the saidinner ply or layer 18 is also secured at its lower edge to the loweredge of the inner layer or ply of the fabric of the pocket 15 by saidseam line 13. The outer layer oriply 19 of the neck-band 12 is, exceptat the mouth 16 of the pocket 15, secured to the cape at the seam line13, and at the mouth of the pocket 15 said outer layer or ply 19 issecured at its lower edge to the lower edge of the outer .pl'y of thepocket 15 and to the hood 11 by the line of sewing 17. In view of thisconstruction of the neck-band at the pocket 15, the outer ply of saidneck-band and the outer ply of said pocket may hinge or unfold andextend upwardly and forwardly on the inclination and forward pull of thehood, in the manner illustrated in Figs. 3, 5 and 6. the neck-band ply19 turning upwardly at the line of sewing 20 and the pocket openingoutwardly and upwardly and form.- ing an extension which will relieveall the strains which would otherwise be exerted against the hood andthe upper edge of the cape when a person wearing the garment leansforwardly. therefore that the hood 11 is secured to the cape 10andneck-band 12 by the line 01 sewin g 1 3, exceptat the back of the neckof the rape where the lower edge of the hood is secured to the outer ply19 of the neck-band It is to be understood rate piece of material mayserve as a stay to prevent the lower edge of the hood from pulling,under any use of the garment, unduly against the outer ply 19 of theneckband or through said ply against the upper edge of the neck-band.The pocket 15 might be formed between the two plies of the neck band byleaving the mouth 16 and securing the lower edge of the back of the hooddirectly to the lower edge of the outer ply 19 of the neck-band, withoutthe use of the separate piece of pocket material shown, but a moresubstantial structure is presented by said pocket being formed of aseparate piece of material folded in between the outer and inner pliesof the neck-band, as shown in Fig. 1. vVhen the head is inclined for-'\vardly to a considerable extent, the hood, in capes as heretoforeconstructed, pulls with considerable force against the back of the capeportion of the garment, and the strain has been against the back of theneck of the garment as well as against the forward portion of the hoodwhere it passes over the forehead of the wearer, but with the use of myinvention the strain is, under the conditions stated, entirely relievedfrom 'the hood and also from the back of the neck of the cape, and atthe same time the presence of the extensible pocket 15 leaves the backof the neck fully protected and prevents the hood from being torn awayfrom the neck band. J

'1 preferably utilize the pocket 15' made of a separate piece ofmaterial to secure special advantages which would be absent if thepocket were formed directly between and by the inner and outer plies ofthe neck-band,

but either construction would be within the broader scope of myinvention as presenting an extensible feature of great advantage overrain-capes as heretofore constructed.

A further feature of my invention resides in the vertical box-plait 21at the lower portion of the back of the hood and terminating at themouth 16 of the pocket 15. The boxplait 21 permits of a lateralspreading of the hood around the head, and this lateral spreading of thehood combines with the pocket 15 to avoid destrurtive strains on thehood and cape during the various twisting and other movements of thehood and shoulders of the wearer. The box-plait- 21 18 also of advantagein adapting the hood for heads.

differing. in size anddiffering in the quantity and dressing of the halrthereon. The two features of myinvention reside in the provisionof thepocket at the back of'the neck adjoining the'hood and cape and in thepro vision of the box-plait 21 at the back of the head andextending tothe mouth of said pocket, Whether the pocket is formed be tween the twoplies of the neck-band or by the separate piece of material, as shown,the pocket when opened does not expose the neck of the wearer, andtherefore while the pocket has an open'mouth, I define said pocket as aclosed pocket, because when opened it does not expose the neck or backof the head of the wearer.

One objection to rain-capes, the same have heretofore been constructed,is that the hood is not adapted to the varying sizes of heads andithevarying quantities of hair thereon to such extent as to render the hoodcomfortable for all sizes and conditions thereof, and frequently it isdesired to wear the hood over a hat on the head, and this with the otherconditions present render it desirable that the hood should beautomatically adjustable to the head and head conditions, and thisresult I attain by means of the box-plait 21 and the pocket 15 whichpermit of both lateral expansibility at the back of the head andvertical extensibility above the back of the neck. A well recognizedobjection to the hoods of rain-capes as heretofore constructed is thatwhen the cape is buttoned closely about the neck and the wearer hasoccasion to project the head forwardly, the pull on the garment at theback of the neck draws the hood back from over the forehead, and thiscondition is wholly remedied by my invention, which provides forvertical extensibility in the hood whenever the head of the wearer ofthe hood is thrust forwardly, the relation of the upper front portionofthe hood to the head remaining undisturbed, and this being due to thepresence of the boX-plait 21 and pocket 15.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A garment of the character described comprising a cape to be fastenedaround the neck of the wearer and a hood to be worn on the head andsecured at its lower edge to the neck-portion of said cape, said garmentat the back of the neck having a horizontally disposed open mouthedpocket extending inwardly and closed at its inner portion to protect theneck of the wearer, said pocket comprising an inner part secured to theupper edge of the cape and an outer part connected with said inner partand capable of being turned upwardly and to the outer free edge of whichthe lower edge of the hood at the back of the neck is secured, wherebysaid pocket is adapted 'to open upwardly when the head is thrustforwardly and thus afford an extension along the lines of the straincreated by such movement of the head, whereby the garment is saved frominjury'and the hood is permitted to remain comfortably on the head.

2. A garment of the character described comprising a cape to be fastenedaround the neck of the wearer and a hood to be worn on the head andsecured at its lower edge to the neck portion of said cape, said garmentat the back of the neck having a horizontally disposed open mouthedpocket extending inwardly and closedat its inner portion to protect theneck of the wearer, and said hood above and extending to the mouth ofsaid pocket having a vertical box-plait free to collapse inwardly on anupward strain on the hood and to expand laterally to meet variations ofhead conditions, and said pocket being adapted to open upwardly when thehead is thrust forwardly and thus afford an extension along the lines ofthe strain created by such movement of the head, whereby the garment issaved from injury and the hood is permitted to remain coinfortably onthe head.

v 3. A garment of the character described comprising a cape, a neck-bandof two plies fastened together along theirupper edges and at their loweredges being fastened together and to said cape except at the back of theneck, where the lower edge of the inner ply is fastened to the cape andthe lower edge of the outer ply is left free of the cape to form an openmouth leading inwardly between said plies, and a hood secured at itslower edge to said cape and neck-band except at the back of the neck,where the lower edge of the hood is secured to'the said free portion ofthe outer ply of theneck-band at said open mouth, said mouth beingadapted to open upwardly when the head is thrust forwardly and thusafford an extension along the lines of the strain created by suchmovement of the head, whereby the garment is saved from. injury and thehood is permitted to remain comfortably on the head.

4. A garment of the character described comprising a cape, a neck-bandof two plies fastened together along their upper edges and at theirlower edges being fastened together and to said cape exceptat the backof the neck, where the lower edge of the inner ply is fastened to thecape and the lower edge of the outer ply is left free of the cape toform an open mouth leading inwardly between said plies, and a hoodsecured at its'lower edge to said cape and neck- .band except at theback of the neck, where the lower edge of the hood is secured to thesaid free portion of the outer ply of the neckband at said open mouth,and said hood having at its back and extending downwardly to said moutha Vertical box-plait free to collapse inwardly on an upward strain onthe hood and to expand laterally to meet variations of head conditions,said mouth being adapted to open upwardly when the head is thrustforwardly and thus afford an extension along the lines of the created bysuohmovemwt of the head, anerehy the garment is saved from injury andthe hood is permitted to remain (Emiltortably on the head. a

5 5. A. garment of the character described comprising a cape, anecleband of two plies fastened together along their upper edges and attheir lower edges being fastened together and to said cape except at theback oi"; the neck, where the lower edge of the inner ply is fastened tothe cape and the lower edge of the outer ply, is left free of the capeto form an open mouth, an inserted pocket closed at its inner portionsand secured at its edges around said mouth which constitutes theentrance to said pocket, and a hood secured at its lower edge to saidcape and neck-band except at the hack of the neck, where the lower edgeof the hood is secured to the said free portion of the onter ply of theneck-hand at said open month, said mouth and pocket being adapted tolees-31b open upwardly when the head thrust Forwardly and thus afford anextension along the lines of the strain created by such movement of thehead, whereby the garment is saved from injury and the hood is permittedto remain comfortably on the head.

6. A garmentof the character described comprising a cape, a neck-bandfastened thereto and to b secured around the neck of the wearer, and ahood fastened at its lower edges to the neck-band and .cape at the loweredge of the neck-band and having at the lower portion of its back avertical boxlait tree to collapse inwardly on an upward strain on thehood and to expand laterally to meet variations of head condi tio ns.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork. this 7th vday of June A. D. 1921.

LEOPOLD H. ems.

